A Conservative MP has suggested the name of Coalville could be at risk if the trend for avoiding links to carbon emissions continues.

Sir Robert Goodwill, the Tory chair of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs committee, was responding to the re-naming of the Brecon Beacons over concerns that the word 'beacon' is out of step with the fight against climate change.

The national park will now be officially referred to as the 'Bannau Brycheiniog' National Park, granting the landscape a Welsh name, and steering clear of any associations with historical signal fires.

But Sir Robert told the Telegraph the decision as "pure virtue signalling" that would "do nothing to actually help the environment".

He also suggested that Coalville may one day go under a different name.

Sir Robert told the newspaper: "Next thing they'll be renaming Burns' Night."

He said that place names like 'Coalville' or 'Blackburn' might be equally at risk under the same logic, adding: "I have to say that I have never made the association between the Beacons and fire.

"I think it is more important to retain historical names as part of our heritage.

"I had to re-check my diary when I heard this ludicrous suggestion just to make sure it wasn't April Fools' day."

Catherine Mealing-Jones, the chief executive of Brecon Beacons National Park, said: "We're an environmental organisation. We're trying to cut carbon and push to net zero. So, having a carbon burning beacon just isn't a good look.

"We've had awful wildfires over the last few years. So anything that kind of promotes that idea that fire in the landscape is a good thing made us feel that it probably wasn't the look we're going for."

It has also been argued that there are historical and cultural reasons for the new name, which refers to the legendary fifth century kingdom of King Brychan, and the plural of the Welsh word for peaks.

Mrs Mealing-Jones added: "That's the name that we've always had. Brecon Beacons was almost imposed on it later in its history,"